Celtic Diary Tuesday November 13

Kelvin Wilson has reacted to criticism that Celtic are not taking the league seriously by saying that he’s tired. He waffled on for a bit, and said it wasn’t his fault. Still, at least he had the balls to come out and say something. the others can’t be arsed, as they are er, tired.

Some of these players need a boot up the arse, and that boot might well come in the shape of the likes of Bahrudin Atajic, the U-20 striker who now has 11 goals in 9 games at that level, and isn’t so much knocking on the first team door as heaving his shoulder at it.

Anyway, its international week, and Tony Watt won’t be going with Scotland, he’s hurt himself, and everyone else is frantically trying to get out of it as well. Except Miku, who is away with Venezuela, and one or two others. Apart from that , Neil Lennon has told his stars to get some rest, as they have another ninety minutes of running about a bit this weekend.

So, Joe Jordan is interested in the Scotland job. Are the SFA just going to keep asking everyone who isn’t called Strachan before finally admitting he is the best man for the job? Jordan failed at Hearts, and hasn’t been a manager since, which isn’t really what the beaks should be looking for. However, the new boss might well save the World Cup campaign, as Michel Platini, in the record, says Serbia and Croatia have already been warned about their fans behaviour, and might get kicked out of the competition. If the Belgians team bus crashes, the Welsh are involved in a bribery scandal, and Macedonia declares war on Germany, then he’s right, we might just scrape into the play-offs.

Still, its nice to see the Record checking out the real stories, and no doubt they will be hot on the claims of one Charles “Debt Free ” Green and his upcoming share issue.

Yet again, they have failed to ask the pertinent questions, yet again they have failed in their duty to report, analyse and question the statements of someone who is trying to fleece, sorry, help Rangers supporters get their club back.

Green hasn’t paid Alloa, he has no money.

According to one of the more sensible mods on the KDS forum, the people behind the share issue at Ibrox have looked a wee bit deeper into those of us who have pledged money for their cause, and it seems one or two of the email addresses don’t exist, and one or two of the names may be fictional.

The mod concerned, Kevtic, reckons that Green thinks only around 6000 of the pledges are genuine, and based on his calculations, and the “normal 2 take up on these things, the Yorkshire terrier looks set to raise only around £1.2m, which is a little bit short of his projections.

A cynic might think thats why Walter Smith is back on board, but again, the press don’t want to know.

Green himself has announced plans for the SFL to reform, the clubs will apparently meet on Wednesday for talks, which he will not attend because he is in London with his begging bowl. Green reckons its time for change because “Hearts have got into financial difficulty and there were rumours in the papers that there were another couple of SPL clubs in financial difficulty so it is a time for change.”

No-one asked him which ones, no-one asked him anything.

There is talk of league reconstruction, with the “colt ” teams of Rangers -(thought they couldn’t afford one?) and Celtic joining the lower divisions. A move which would allow the youngsters match practice, and get them used to being kicked every week by the hammer throwers in the lower leagues, ready for when they get kicked every week by the hammer throwers of the SPL.

The fresh wind of change is blowing through Scottish football, but don’t expect anything those idiots in charge will come up with to help it along. The blank piece of paper marked 2ideas ” still only has the words “Rangers ” and SPL on it.

Maleysbhoys.com have asked fans to help get back the banner which was above the Celtic end in Seville, and you can find the story through this link. If it works. which it probably won’t, but the address is correct.

Yesterday we asked about John Collins and Fergus McCann, and that question was all about McCann trying to get money for Collins when he moved to tax free Monte Carlo to play for Monaco. Monaco is not in the EU, and at the time , “Bosmans ” only applied to EU countries. McCann was right about that, and claimed Monaco should pay Celtic £3m, but UEFA ruled that as they play in the French league, McCann could forget it.

John Collins was another one of the players plundered from Hibs, and went on to do well for Celtic. But which player took the same route in the seventies, at the time he was one of Scotlands top defenders, but due to injury didn’t do as well as we hoped?

8 Responses

As I am first, I guess my head is on the chopping block. My bet is Pat Stanton. Pat was a Hibee through and through but Big Jock enticed him to play for the greatest club at least for a short while in his career. He gave an excellent year and a bit to Celtic. He was an outstanding player and won a couple of trophies with us, if my memory serves me right. Sadly, he was badly injured after just one full season, I think. I know his game count is not that high. It must have been 1978 when he went because his injury was at the beginning of the season but he could not recover fully. It shows the quality of the man that after only a very limited time with the club, he is still remembered as one of our great players. Even when he played for Hibs, he was greatly admired and appreciated by the Celtic support. Jeez, I hope I have the right answer after all that!
I feel there is still a lingering rant in you, Ralph, over the excuses for our league performances. I would not go berserk but I agree it is time to start thinking straight on this. What really annoys me is the non-use of our supposedly highly rated large squad. Why should tiredness come into the equation. Why are the very capable youngsters not being used on these exhaustion affected occasions? Interestingly, but I am not that well read media-wise, you do not seem to hear about exhausted players among other C.L. participants. It appears to be a British thing – or perhaps just Scottish. Another concept introduced by the genius in the cardigan to get a league extension, remember?
“The blank piece of paper marked 2ideas ” still only has the words “Rangers ” and SPL on it.”
I think you call that “nail on the head” hitting, Ralph. Enough said and I am sure there will be enough done. The only heartening thing is that the blue ship lollipop is probably leaking so badly now that all the cardigans in the world will not be enough to plug the hole.

H H

LapdogNovember 13, 2012 at 11:10 am ·

Pat Stanton

SteveoNovember 13, 2012 at 11:21 am ·

Yeah it was Pat Stanton played durin 76-77 season & was outstanding at the back as we won the double & narrowly missed out on treble losing to the dandies in league cup final extra time. Early doors next season with king kenny away to Liverpool Pat, Danny McGrain & Alfie Conn all got injured early doors & we went from being easily best team in league to 5th and Jocks last season. Really poor season for us.

Wud agree with pensionerbhoy we need to mix it up a bit after europe. The defence needs minimal tweeking really but middle to front & the creative players need a freshening up after europe doesna help that forrest stokes & hoops are all injured just now but some of the youngsters & mccourt should be getting more game time. Watt should certainly hav started on sunday but hopefully lenny is learning from this.

dave kerrNovember 13, 2012 at 12:05 pm ·

Pat stanton and if i remember right we gave them Jackie mcnamara in exchange

elcormaco@gmail.comNovember 13, 2012 at 12:47 pm ·

Dunno the answer, before my time. But come on lighten up a bit. We are well placed in the league and its still competitive into November despite the Armageddon predictions of the msm apoloogists for our erstwile rivals. This is what the league should be like. If its this tight coming into the last gen games I d be amazed. But even if it is bring it on. I d much rather a nail biting JvoH type end than a procession. Its more Celtic. Talk of we should have three squads and the league won by Christmas is all a bit “Them” is it not? Competitive league games are good for all scottish football and for Celtic when they have to step up in Europe so enjoy having to fight for the title and keep the faith

It is not a question of a non competitive league. That is actually needed for the sake of the game (nothing to do with a team not being it any more either). Nor is it a question of winning before Christmas that would really be disastrous for attendances. Finally, it is not to do with squads or numbers. If you think this is what was being said then either I have written my comments very badly (there is every chance that is actually the case) or you have unfortunately misunderstood what I was trying to say. Fans pay a lot of money to watch games, yes in these hard times a really lot of money, and they expect, no are entitled to the best performances available. That can only be done, win, lose or draw, by playing keen, fit and focussed players and not by a tired, half fit or distracted team. Where we are in the league or in Europe is of no consequence to the performance. It should always be of the highest quality POSSIBLE and that can not always be from a group of players who have exhausted themselves, both mentally and physically, a few days previously. That should be why we have a tier or multi choice system, not because of “Them” as you put it. Professional performers secure the continuity and quality of a show by having stand-ins, just in case. Should football be any different if it can afford it? So, my friend, this is not criticism. It is rather a request for value for money and a burning desire to always see the best show that the Glasgow Celtic can put on any given day. Like you, I know exactly what the final outcomes are likely to be but I want the route there to be as enjoyable as possible along the way. Is there any harm in that? Am I really unfairly ‘having a go’?

H H

RobertNovember 13, 2012 at 10:12 pm ·

Pat McGinley……no, Stanton! Surprised like everyone else that we aren’t utilising our large squad better. If Lennon is ‘learning’ he’s taking a long time abiut it!